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Secret Price Codes Will Save You Money At Costco
Costco, Hazlet, NJ
Read My Costco Summer 2013
Before you get into reading this article, I want to remind you that I also have published other Costco articles including my latest and hottest article on Summer Scores for Summer 2013.
I guarantee if you are a buyer or a dealer, you will either save a ton of money or potentially earn lots of $$$ with my current scores.
I have located Markdown items selling for as low as $3.97 at Costco, which are currently retailing on the internet now for $35-$45. You will even see I have given you accurate current internet retail prices of these sale items where available, so you can see your actual savings.
I update this Seasonal article daily with new items that have just been marked down. Be sure to read this money saving article on Summer 2013 Markdowns now!
Everyone Loves Costco
This article has been revised with a lot of new information on November 24, 2012
Everyone loves Costco and we all know they have terrific deals, great prices, quality merchandise, wonderful return policy and the best Hot Dogs with a soda for only $1.50.
Costco like many other stores, runs some of their merchandise at close-out prices. Unfortunately they don't make it easy for the shopper to know which items are marked down. so many of us have no idea which items are being sold at these lower prices. You can't tell by simply looking at the price sign on a product that it is a mark-down, special priced item, rebate item or discontinued item or which items will not be replenished when the current stock is sold.
In this article you will discover how to not only find which items are at the lowest costs, but many other facts that I have learned over the many years I have done business with Costco.
Here is how it all started for me...I was an eBay Power Seller for many years and made extra money each year by buying close-outs and special items at Costco. I purchased their sale or close-outs and resold them at higher prices on eBay and did over $60,000 in gross sales in one year alone.
You don't have to buy to resell their goods, but you can save yourself thousands of dollars if you only knew their pricing codes and read my article and follow my directions.
This article will illustrate how Costco prices these special sale items and how you can take advantage of the bargains once you understand their system.
Now some say that I shouldn't give up my professional secrets and like a magic trick, should never publish it and share it with the world. But I disagree and in these very difficult times, I think it is in everyone's best interest if we all share our tips and tricks on how to be a smarter shopper.
So if you like this article and find it helps you save money at Costco, you know what I want from you...no not money, no not your first born child, yes, your recommendation, positive comments and your promise to pass the link to my article to every Costco member you know.
I have never published these secrets before I decided to share them here on Hubpages and years ago, only those that have made a living selling Costco merchandise on eBay knew some of these secrets.
Photos From Costco
Most regular priced items have a 99 ending
Look for items that have a 97 ending, they are mark-downs.
Watch for odd pricing like those that end in a 79 or a 49 ending, they are special purchase items
Notice the different prices on this table. Which ones are the best deals?
Look to see if there is a * on the upper right side of the sign. If you see one, it means this item is not being reordered.
Watch for special rebate programs like this one on fluorescent bulbs
Bulb rebates are usually funded by your state and will save you lots of $$$
Costco will give you an instant rebate on some items at the cash register.
Lots of special events and food tasting
Super wide aisles. So much selection
Best produce anywhere
Friendly servers happy working for Costco
Costco helps charities and support and promote local businesses too.
Florida Store shows the original price before the mark-down. They must have read this article.
Florida Store shows the original price before the mark-down. They must have read this article.
Steps To Saving Money At Costco
When you visit your Costco store, pay special attention to the price signs for every item you see.
You will notice that most end with a 99¢ ending, this is the regular priced merchandise. You will also see some with a 79¢ ending, others a 97¢ ending and so on. In this article you will find out how to understand the codes in these prices so you can determine with are the best deals. I will show you how to tell which are the close-outs that have vast reductions in their original prices, which ones are manufacturer promotions and other deals to watch for.
Read each step as I explain what each one means.
1. You are going to look for items that now have a 97¢ ending. Regular priced items usually end with a 99¢ ending but not always. However, the ones with the 97¢ endings are those items that did not sell and must be cleared out. They are marked-down, but unlike all other retailers, Costco doesn't like you to know this, so the don't put the original prices with a slash and then the new price as many stores do. So to take advantage of these special deals, you have to know the code to know it is a close-out.
On a side note, just because it is a close-out or marked down, in some cases it might only be a very small mark down, so it is good to know what the original price was. You can ask their manager to tell you the original prices on these items if you copy and give them the item numbers before you make your purchase. I have seen some items only marked down $1, at times if there is a large stock, I may simply wait, until they mark it down even more.
2. Look to see if there is aasterisk * on the upper right side of the sign. If you see one, it means this item is not being reordered and what ever stock they have in the store will be sold and not replaced. This is a tip off that it might be a marked down item, but not always, but it does let you know that once these are gone there will be no more. I use this guide to determine if I should stock up on a discounted item, knowing that the store inventory is all they have.
3. Now you will watch for odd pricing like those that end in a79¢ ending. You will also see they have others at 49¢, 89¢ and others. These usually mean that these items have a special price on them because Costco got a special deal from the manufacturer. In other words they were a special purchase and the buyers really killed their vendors for this price.
These will be a good deal compared to other stores, but usually not the deal you will get with the Marked Down 97¢merchandise.
Manager Specials: You may also see some odd and end merchandise on a flat truck or in an area of the store that has an 88¢ or .00 endings. These usually are Manager Markdowns taken at the store on returned but sellable merchandise (may have a damaged box of package).
They can be display goods or a few end of inventory items that they no longer want on the regular display. They will generally put these in a special area of the store so they don't take up valuable real estate. They will usually have the original price or close-out price printed sign and using a magic marker will cross out that price write in a new price that might say "Last One".
I tend not to pay much attention to these because they are not really important, usually not many in the store and are not what I consider first quality merchandise. After all this article is about the secret codes on New Merchandise, not on the worn out, beat up displays.
Now I have to admit, I recently got a great Managers Special on a U.S. Sunlight Solar Attic Fan. I had purchased one of these for $300 a couple of years ago. They had one in the store recently, sealed and at a cost of just $100.00. I grabbed it at that price. On the companies website they have it listed at $499.99. Either way, at $100 it was a score. So you can watch for these, but you won't find many and there is usually only one or two of these items at most.
4. As you go through the store, you will begin to notice another special deal, the Instant Rebates on some items. Generally these will come from the manufacturers and Costco will give you the rebate on the items at the cash register. I like these a lot and you can watch for them at certain times of the year. I buy my Sonicare Tooth Brush system and refills during these rebates, because I can save $20 or more on a $100 item. Same holds true for many other items, including food. You will find a number of these in their monthly coupon books.
5. Other instant rebates are also available, especially the ones that qualify for your States Energy Rebate program. Now that they have found the fluorescent bulbs contain Mercury and are actually harmful to the environment, you will see loads of the newer LED lights also available now with State funded Energy Instant Rebate Programs.
In New Jersey and other states you can get a substantial rebate at the cash register to entice you to switch over from your old energy consuming bulbs to these new high output bulbs no polluting varieties. They still offer rebates on the fluorescent bulbs, but I for one, have donated all that I had and converted every light in my home to the newer LED's. The time to stock up is when you see these state rebates. This happens usually once or twice a year.
Watch for holiday or change of season close-outs...
6. At the end of a Holiday Season like Christmas, you need to get into the store the day after the holiday and scoop up all the marked down items. I have purchased their snow globes that normally retail for around $20-$25 for as little as $4.97 each and cleaned them out only to hold them in my attic for a 9 months and then sell them at $19.95 on eBay the following September. That is a 300% profit. This year due to the poor economy Costco is starting to offer some of their holiday merchandise at special close-out prices. Read my new article Secret Price Codes At Costco For Xmas Savings 2012.
Watch for these Special Holiday Deals, not everyone knows about Holiday clearance but you do now so scoop up some deals before they are gone. Today inventories are much lower in the past so you won't see as much being closed out, so you have to be fast. Christmas cards and wrapping paper are always left over, so you can buy these for almost nothing.
Tip: If you know the holiday, or any items can be gone by the time you get back to the store to purchase them, buy them a few days before at full price. When they get marked down, go to the customer service area and get a refund on the difference. Costco has a 30 day price protection policy and will do this for you. The only caveat on this move is you have to be pretty sure they have enough inventory and WILL BE MARKING THIS DOWN. If not, you can always return it with your receipt for a full refund.
7. Vendor Mark-Downs - Items that are not selling as well as they should are a prime target for a mark-down. Costco will go back to the vendor (manufacturer) and request an allowance from them to enable them to reduce the price of those items. These will be the items to look for and usually the ones with the .97¢ endings.
I usually take note of an item that doesn't seem to be moving and wait patiently for the price reduction. If it is on the shelves for months and each time you visit you still see the same inventory there and it is not a staple item (food, etc.) you can be sure it will be reduced, so be patient if there is something you want to purchase, but think it is still a bit higher then you would like to pay. I have scored on tools and other items this way.
Tips and Tricks For Better Shopping At Costco
* Take A Camera, Smart Phone or iPad... Do what I do and record the prices on items so you can go home and check them on the internet to see just how good the deals are. If you have a smart phone or a tablet with internet connections even better. Check prices on the spot and if it is a good deal you can buy it that day.
* Resellers and Gift Givers...If you need them for gifts or for resale and they have that asterisk * on the upper right side, then buy what you need and don't wait if you see their inventory is low, they won't be getting any more.
* Coupon Specials...Take advantage of their coupon book specials and instant rebates as well. If you decide later you don't need them, or have a change of heart, just bring them back. Remember to keep your receipt in case the prices have been reduced. Members receive a promotional booklet each month with loads of coupons and special offers stock up on some of the basic items like paper towels, toilet paper, they usually alternate every other month on these items. Costco does not accept manufacturer coupons.
Our Friend Claire in Member Services
Member Services
• Member Services...Costco has formed relationships with many other companies to bring you even more services. Look at this list for some of the offered services to all members.
• Other Executive Member Perks... Executive Members also receive special pricing on goods and services too. This includes additional savings or perks on these Costco Programs: Auto Purchase, Auto & Home Insurance, Mortgage & Refinancing, Boat and RV Loans, Gp Daddy websites and online solutions, Water Delivery Services, Identity Protection, Mexico Travel Auto Insurance, Online Investing with ING Direct, Personal or Business Checks (an additional 20% off member pricing), Business Phone Services, Merchant Credit Card Processing, and Costco Travel.
Now I will bet most of you never realized Costco has so many other programs set up to save you even more money. Check them out too.
* Price Protection Guarantee...If the prices do go lower on the close-outs, or items you purchased at full price, you can always bring the items back and repurchase them at the lower price. Remember, they do have a price adjustment policy on a item for 30 days too.
• Beyond The 30 Day Guarantee...If you see the item you bought at full price go on sale and it is beyond the 30 days the only other method it to purchase another one at the lower price. Then take your original receipt for the same item you purchased at the higher price and return the one you just bought at the sale price with that first receipt. I know Costco won't like me telling you this, but it is the only way I know to get around that 30 day price adjustment policy.
* Keep All Your Receipts...The single most important tip in this article is to hold onto every receipt from your Costco purchases. I keep mine in a little folder in date order. I also keep those for electronic items, larger purchases, etc. in a separate stack. Here is the reason. Costco has a satisfaction guarantee on all the products they sell. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the item in that time you can return it within 2 years, yup, 2 years.
Now If you kept your receipts, it makes this process easier and you will be credited for the original amount you paid. If not and they can't locate your purchase in their computer (which could take a long time and people behind you on line will be pissed), they may only offer you the lowest price the item sold for. As you already know it could be the marked-down price. So this is why keeping your receipts will be the most important tip of this article.
* Return Policy...Costco has the best return policy of any retailer around. Try not to abuse it and try not to take unfair advantage of their liberal satisfaction guarantee. I have seen people bring back a bunch of dead cut flowers after they have had them in their homes for a week and get their money back. In this economy we don't want Costco to either go out of business or change their wonderful customer service policies.
• Risk Free 100% Membership Guarantee...If for any reason you are not happy with your membership, Costco will refund your full membership fee if you are ever dissatisfied.
Costco Executive Members Receive Cash Rewards and other benefits
Costco True Earnings American Express Cards © American Express
Get Cash Back Too
• Executive Membership...Includes household membership for only $110.00. You will however receive an annual 2% reward and other benefits too. Executive Membership is their highest level of membership. Executive Members receive a 2% Reward (up to $750 per year) on most Costco purchases, as well as additional benefits and greater discounts on many of their services. If you do the math, you will be paying an additional $55 over the cost of their business or Gold Star membership, so if you spend an average of $245/month your reward will cover the additional cost to become an Executive Member. Who doesn't spend that much each month at Costco? Now remember, there are lots of other savings and benefits given to the Executive Member. You can join Costco online too, click this link
• Costco True Earnings American Express Card...If you have a business, any business, even a home based business apply for their Business Membership and then apply for the Costco True Earnings Business American Express card. The reason is that business members get bigger rewards from American Express. Don't confuse this with the Executive Rewards Program, this is another one. You can save 4% on your gasoline purchases (up to $7,000/year), then 2% on restaurants and travel and 1% on everything else including what you purchase at Costco.
This is a great reward program and if you don't qualify for the business account , get the personal account, the rewards on gas is only 3% but the others rewards are the same.
This photo is for illustration only and does not represent their returns.
What Does Costco Do With All The Returns?
If you are as curious as I am you want to know what happens to all the items that are returned to Costco. After talking to my local store manager I found out.
• Food of any sort, gets trashed. This is of course not only because it was returned but for security as well. Who knows what some people would do to a food item and then return it. This includes frozen food, fresh fruits and veggies, meat and many other items. Even food items in a sealed box one reader, a Costco employee, has said is also disposed of and won't be put back on the shelves.
• Opened boxes are checked out and at the counter they will ask if anything is wrong with the item or is it defective. If it is defective, they tag it not suitable for sale and it will either go back to the manufacturer or it will be disposed of by Costco.
Costco has a number of companies that purchase this merchandise. Some will refurbish it and resell it and others will sell it as is. I asked how they prevented those damaged items from being returned to Costco again and he told me they have a very strict vetting process to make sure that those companies they sell to are legitimate and that these items won't come back to the stores.
They also have a computer record of every item you purchase in their system and if you come in without a receipt they will look it up to see if you purchased it, the date of the purchase and the price.
• Who takes the loss on a returned item? Well usually the vendor will. The percentage of returns on most items is small and it is taken into account when they price the items. Some vendors ask Costco to simply let them know how many of each item was returned and discarded and will simply give Costco the proper allowance. Others will ask for the items to be returned to their facilities, but this is usually on smaller higher prices items or electronics. Then there are items that Costco will simply take the loss. So when you return a set of 8 drinking glasses because one was broken, you can bet the other 7 will show up at a flea market, on the internet or in a store that purchases these from Costco at a very low cost.
• Costco knows the numbers and that includes the mark-up they need to take on all items and also knows the returns on each item to the penny, so all of these numbers have been calculated to give them their selling prices. If there are items that keep getting returned you can bet they will pull them from the stores and return them to their vendors.
Costco Doesn't Practice Deceptive Marketing
Costco really wants their customers to save money when they shop there, but they don't want to follow the marketing concepts of other retailers that overprice their items 200% or more and then run sales every week with discounts as much as 50% or more.
These are not really sales, they are in fact deceptive marketing tactics and are simply a way to fool the customer into thinking they are sales. A number of stores are guilty of this practice, some so large you would never think they would be guilty.
On the top of my list is Kohl's. They are one of the worst offenders with their constant sales that offer you from 10-30% off if you get the lucky peel off coupon or their buy $50 and get $10 free and the $10 coupon you get is only valid during a week they don't offer any other discounts.Kohl's also loads their prices on their merchandise and it is not uncommon to find many items priced 30-100% higher then theManufacturers Suggested Retail prices (MSRP). This is of course done to enable them to offer up to 30% or more on their so called SALES.
Joseph A. Banks is another and will often run a "Buy One Get One Free Sale" which means they have priced every item at double or more then the fair retail price, only to force you into buying two items at what would be the regular price at other stores. Recently I heard one of their TV ads..."Buy one item and get three more FREE". Do you really want to shop at a retailer that attempts to fool you with these tactics? I know I don't and have stopped shopping at Kohl's for just this reason. Enough is enough!
I just noticed that since I mentioned these two retailers by name, the advertising module has placed their ads in my article :-) Good way to see exactly what I mean, check them out and you will understand why I love Costco.
Be a Smart Shopper and know that when you buy an item at Costco you will receive one of the best "Legitimate" prices on that item. On most items they will only take a 15% mark-up over their costs and you can bet with their purchasing power, their costs will be lower then any other retailer.
Costco May Not Have the Lowest Price or Certain Items
There is a very good reasons why Costco may not have the lowest price on a particular item or may not carry some products at all. Some manufacturers refuse to sell any big box stores for fear of disrupting their normal retail channels. They may not want to deal with Costco because of the prices Costco wants to pay them or deal with some of the return issues.
Luxury product or designer brands won't sell Costco either because they want to manipulate the retail prices which always mean higher prices for the consumer.
Why Costco May Not Have The Lowest Price
Some stores will receive a special deal from a manufacturer on regular, close-out or discontinued merchandise. The stores pay less and then can pass that savings onto their customers. Costco is such a large retailer that they may not be able to do this because the manufacturer doesn't have enough of that item to satisfy Costco's needs.
Another reason you may find a lower price is because some retailers will use an item as a Loss Leader.
Everyone that shops on Black Friday knows what that is. The store offers merchandise below their actual cost to "Lead You Into Their Store". The reason of course is because they understand that once you are in the store you may purchase other items. Customers today are getting smarter and are taking advantage of those Loss Leaders and go to stores and only purchase those items. Black Friday is a perfect example of that practice of only buying those below or at cost items.
How Does Costco Get Luxury or Designer Goods
Grey/Gray Market Goods - What Are They?
If Costco wants to carry an item and can't purchase it directly through normal channels from the manufacturer, they may decide to purchase it from a third party seller. This practice is called buying Grey/Gray Market goods and is also known as buying parallel market merchandise. This has been a common practice for many retailers as long as I can remember.
This is how it works...
A company will purchase product from a manufacturer and they must meet the manufacturers criteria to become one of their dealers. Some dealers, both here and overseas, will then offer the merchandise they were authorized to purchase from these manufacturers, to other retailers, that don't qualify for a dealership.
This often happens when the price of an item is significantly higher in one country than another. This also occurs because of the monetary exchange rates between countries too. This practice is common with electronic equipment, cameras and luxury brand items like watches.
So Costco or other retailers who want to purchase these items, will look for a retailer, or a wholesaler, who has the products at a lower cost then it might be here. They will then import them, from the authorized retail or wholesale dealer to the United States, legally. Once here they can sell them here with no manufacturers restrictions and often at lower prices then we might pay here from an authorized retail store.
Over the years photographic equipment dealers have always offered Grey goods. To fight this problem the U.S. distributors of the major camera companies, will deny any repairs on "Grey Goods". In that case some dealers offer their own equivalent warranty as Costco does.
Costco admits to buying grey/gray market goods from Omega watches and Waterford Crystal to name a few. They believe that no manufacturer should control retail prices. Consumers should be able to buy from who they want to and should not be forced to pay higher prices then they need to. If a consumer is offered the same product at a significantly lower cost and still have the same or better warranty then they should be able to do so.
So if Costco doesn't have the lowest price on a particular item, or they don't carry every item this could be one of the reasons.
Always remember, even if you pay a few dollars more, or less, for that item, Costco offers you their incredible guarantees, a satisfaction guarantee that no other retailer can offer.
Costco Doesn't Push Additional Insurance Plans
Costco doesn't try to sell you an additional insurance or service policy on their products as so many stores do. All items you purchase at Costco includes their Costco Satisfaction Guarantee. Did you ever go into an appliance or electronics store and get asked at the register if you would like to purchase their extended warranty? Go to Sears, Best Buy or even the Apple store. Buy their warranty and you can expect to pay 10-15% or more on your purchase.
Satisfaction, Price and Return Guarantees are included on all items purchased at Costco. Check the guarantees on some electronic, computer or camera items they may vary from the regular Costco guarantees.
Markdowns And Scores
Note: I have moved some of my older great finds and fabulous scores into new articles I have created. The reason for doing this is to keep this main article shorter and easier to read and follow.
Please look for my other articles on Costco Scores...Read the latest one on Summer 2013 Deals...Just published.
Costco has become the food destination for many shoppers and still offers a Jumbo All Beef Hot Dog and Soda with FREE refills for only $1.50
Food Court & FREE Food Sampling
• The Biggest Bargain At Costco...Some people like to hit the food court after they shop. For me, it is better to go to the food court before I hit the Racetrack. I usually get their 1/4 pound all beef hot dog and a soda with free refills for only $1.50.
Factoid: Costco now produces their own Hot Dogs and has sold over 100 million...that is a lot of beef.
Now once I finish the hot dog and soda, I go over and get a free refill. Now as I walk through Costco's Racetrack (their main aisles) I will be offered a taste of many products. I have my soda with me and can sip it as I taste all the goodies.
Costco offer more sampling of products then any other retailer I know. The reason is simple...not only do they generate business on products you might never purchase, but by offering you all these samples as you stroll through their stores, it encourages you to stay longer or even look forward to your visit. A great way to get you to purchase more of everything.
On my way out of the store, I refill my cup one more time and sip it on my way home. Of course as soon as I get home, I have to also hit the bathroom :-).
Did You Like This Article?
I hope you have enjoyed reading my mini-book on Costco and will recommend the article to others. I am happy to report that this article has reached over 310,000 reads to date and is the number one independently written Costco article on the internet.
Thank you all for your comments and encouragement. I will keep updating this article so come back soon and by all means, read my other Costco articles too. There is other information and actual photos and information on some of the hottest .97¢ Scores there too.
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This Hub was last updated on June 19, 2013
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Thank You for your kind words. It means a lot to me to see that readers appreciate all the time and effort it takes to produce an article like this one. I would like to invite you to see more of my works on my online publication IMPress Magazine. Http://ipaimpress.com
Great article. Thank you
I have been a faithful Costco shopper for years and am happy to acknowledge that someone else knows about these special pricing. I always check the pricing, especially in the linens area. It happens more often than you think.
HI, I'm a 10 Year Costco employee, and Refund Clerk, the comment by another employee stating "edible" product is trashed is not true. That rule is applied to perishable goods. Canned and dry goods are put back on the shelf, also the People doing the Demos aren't Costco Employees, they are either from the vendors themselves or WDS.
Thank you, a million times, thank you. I don't comment or write for that matter on sites, but I felt (extremely) compelled to do so for you. We shop at Costco for most of our needs; including my handicapped daughter's diapers and nutrition. The signs were in another language as I couldn't discern why they were so "busy" with symbols. I had thought the ".97, .00, .79,...etc." were Walmart Rollback pricing gimmicks. The asterisk, an attention grabber (though not for the reasons you mentioned). My thanks mostly goes to your time and effort to publish such detail and knowledge that most people would not disclose. This is my short letter of "thanks and keep up the good work" and hope other people will follow as this benefits us all ; the fair consumer and the store that provides good service.
P.s. my serendipitous find came from searching "costco coupons" on Google, little did I know it would be my biggest "coupon" yet.
What a wonderfully written article! Thanks for all your hard work! Loved reading it!
Hi i am a employee for Costco and have been for six years; i would like to put out two things that haven't been mentioned. The first is that a lot of our members don't look closely at our signs, they just see the price, if you were to look closer you would see that we break down the pricing by ounces or pounds or whatever is applicable. This really helps you find the best deals on our items, and it makes it easier to get more bang for your buck. I would also like to point out that it is a myth that only executive members get coupons, all members do, if your a gold star member and your not receiving your coupons go talk to membership because they might not have your address or they might have it wrong.
I used to to exactly the same thing as the author. I was an eBay power seller, flipping tens of thousands of dollars a year on things bought at CostCo. I maxed out the executive rebate four years in a row. The buyer for my store just didn't seem to know his/her market, leaving me with close-out bargains galore.
Here's some other tidbits I learned:
+ Prices ending in .88 are store-level mark-downs and can mean even larger savings than the .97 items. Sometimes a particular store wants to rid an item quickly -- this is how they do it.
+ All bin tags have the date printed in tiny print under the price. This tells you the last time CostCo printed a tag for this item, including when they lower prices. I use this as a gauge for how often CostCo is thinking about this item. Old dates may mean a nearing close-out as CostCo doesn't keep many items very long.
+ It's sometimes possible to dicker on price if you are willing to buy out the remaining inventory of a discontinued item. I've successfully negotiated even deeper discounts in return for relieving a store of their entire remaining inventory on something they want outta there -- especially the .88 items. This only works if the manufacturer doesn't offer the store a full credit return. But it's worth asking. It's worked for me probably a half dozen times. I've done this at Sam's Club, too.
I found your article via Pinterest, great article. I will have to look at my local Costco in Australia and see if they follow the same system. Also your comments concerning postage was great reading, as I purchase from the U.S. and my postage costs have doubled, which is a shame as it affects all of your local businesses from earning income.
Hi, as a Costco employee for 10 years I just wanted to let you know about the food returns. You said you thought the unopened food goes back on the shelf, but any edible items that are returned are immediately trashed regardless of the state they are returned in.
This article was written to show you how you can save money at Costco and not to be a general Forum for off topic posts such as yours. I cannot answer your question because I have not seen it in our stores and I don't know much about their Canadian operation. I did not answer or approve your comment because I have not checked the approval section of my account for some time, my fault and I apologize. I am leaving your post for now to let others know, this is not an open forum for Costco complaints but rather an article that will show you how to save money. I am sure you will find many forums that you can post your question or complaint.
Please guys and gals reading this article, I would appreciate it if you would keep on topic. This comment section is meant to enlighten those that read and follow my suggestions and to of course tell me how much love you have for me and Costco...Love you all and thanks for sending the link from this article to your friends and relatives. We are now seeing over 25,000 reads each week which is amazing. Keep up the good work and save, save, save at Costco. Watch for the Halloween mark-downs in October and look for those items they have a lot of stock on near the holiday. Then go in immediately after and see what was marked down. Remember to hold your receipt and if that item goes lower, ask for a price adjustment or buy another at the lower price and return it with your original higher receipt.
Thanks, you might enjoy some of the many articles I publish on our site and some of my great photos too. Check them out at:http://ipaimpress.com/photo-showcase/len-rapoport/ and my articles are listed here.
Fantastic article about saving money! I will pay much more attention to Costco sales now. You are such a great writer and your photos added a lot to the lesson on saving money. Also I saw my article link on Shop Goodwill listed on your page too. Will include your link to my page. Thanks!
Fyi with receipts: photo copy them immediately. The ink fades really fast.
Great article! My husband and I are avid Costco shoppers. Mainly we just buy produce, meat and gas. But, we just bought a home and are outfitting it with a few things from Costco. We had been eyeing some decorative vent covers, and last week they were marked down 50% so we grabbed enough for the house. It was super exciting! Thanks for sharing all these tips and tricks. Can't wait to share with my husband!
What an enlightening article. How wonderful of you to take the time with great detail how we can shop wiser at Costco. Your a really great writer, and I will be checking back often to learn more of what you have to share. Thank you
Wow I had no idea! This information is awesome for a twice-a-week Costco shopper like myself. Thanks!
I'm a Costco fan in Canada but I've become a little leery of their pricing and wondering if anyone else has noticed some of their antics. For example, I had my eye on a Karcher 2000 psi pressure washer that was selling for $149.99...it was winter so I was in no hurry. Then one month, I received the Costco Connection mag with the the booklet of upcoming discounts and to my delight, a $40 discount was going to be offered on the pressure washer I wanted in a few weeks...so i waited. When the week arrived, I went to Costco to purchase the pressure washer at a $40 discount only to find that the sign was now showing regular price to be $199.99 less $40 rebate for a new price of $159.99!!!! The so-called discount price was $10 more than what I could have bought it for a few weeks earlier. The $40 rebate expired after one week and to this day, the price now remains $199.99....very disappointing!. I've even seen it on small items like Chunks Ahoy cookies....picked up a couple of boxes one day when sign showed regular price of $6.99 less $2 instant rebate for a price of $4.99. A couple of weeks later....same cookies were just $3.89 without promotion of an instant rebate. I have noticed the price fluctuate all over the place since as I'm generally at Costco every 2 weeks. Anyone else notice these false "sales"?
Jean, this is what you need to do. Do you have the receipt from the camera? Even if you don't you will be O.K. Go to your Costco and purchase another one of the cameras as the Sale Price. Then return the new one with your original receipt. If you don't have the original receipt ask them to look for it in their system and find it. If you know approximately when you purchased it, it will help. Since Costco has a liberal money back return policy, you can do this without any problems. Now you won't feel so bad about the price reduction and can enjoy using your camera that just cost you $50 less.
I wish I had read this a few months ago. I bought a camera and two days later it was marked down $50. Next time I will know what to do. Thanks for the great info.
Oh, this is good to know indeed. Thanks!
They really do have great prices. I had bought the membership one year but then we couldn't figure out where to store half the things we bought in bulk. This is a wonderful hub, very helpful! Thanks.
Len, I am so happy to see this article. For a couple of reasons. One, I love Costco and have had that "hot dog and soda" deal many times. Their Chicken Ceasar salad is amazing as well! I also sell on ebay and recently have discovered that I am losing money big time because of all the fees incorporated. I am not a power seller by any means.. but I am slowly fading out my account altogether as I have discovered another site that I have done quite well on.
I had a feeling that the price codes meant something. I had often wondered why some of the price tags had an asterisk when others didn't. Very valuable info and I will definately be taking my camera with me on my next trip to Costco! Voted way up! Lisa
We have been shopping at Costco for years but were unaware of their pricing codes which you have nicely shared with us. I'll certainly be paying attention! Their return policy is wonderful. We had purchased a carpet cleaner machine and it just stopped working one day. We took it back without the receipt and after they verified that it was purchased there...we got a full refund. We turned around and purchased another one on the spot.
Will keep receipts from now on. Had no idea that they refund the difference if the price is reduced. Thanks for this great article! Up votes and SHARING.
Good info. Wish Sam's/BJ's would open up in my town (Burbank, CA) because the local costco are so busy and their employees get all high and mighty knowing they're the only game in town. I see so many employees just goofing off and doing their best to avoid customers its sickening. Recently went to a costco 7 miles away and noticed their employees actually working hard even though the store was mostly empty - I chatted up with the cashier and he said because they were not unionized like other costcos have to work harder to keep their jobs - that sorta explains why the employees at my costco are so lethargic.
To answer the question about prices ending in .00 those are mark downs approved by warehouse manager specific to that location beyond the .97 markdown. They are usually the last display of a deleted item (the ones with the * in the corner) that is no longer going to be carried by that location. The electronics dept is notorious for having them especially after the years end and new models are expected in. Depending on the mgr you can get some HUGE discounts on displays! If you see something you like with an asterisk feel free to ask anybody in a red vest what their inventory is on that item and you'd be surprised sometimes the last ones just sold and they were unaware they were down to just the display. If the item is in fact deleted and you're not in a hurry (warehouse n asst wh mgrs take a min to track down) ask how much their mgr would be willing to take off to purchase the display. I've seen displays get as low as more than 50% from the original price! Also keep in mind though that they will not discount a display if the item is not deleted and they are expecting more in, but they can check inventory of other stores for new in box items! :) Hope that helps!
Great info. Money is very important and we need to work hard in order to get a good amount of money. Saving money is a good idea and we need to be practical all the time. Nice!
To answer the question about eBay. Recently eBay has gotten much worse. Sellers cannot come out alive if they are trying to sell new merchandise they may have purchased at a great price, especially if it is a heavy item.
On Jan. 22nd the USPS increased rates on what they call packages. This means anything you put in an envelope including a penny that has a bump is classified as a parcel and for one once you can end up paying close to $1.70 to mail it. Now on International Mail it is much worse and the rates on small parcels and larger have gone up double, so it now costs about $2 per ounce to ship anything. Shipping a CD in a plastic case is 4 ounces and can cost $5 or more.
Now here is the big problem. eBay and Pay Pal charge their full fees on the total amount a customer pays. So if the item is only $5 but it costs $10 to mail it to an international customer you will pay about 14% total fees on the $15. So you will end up having to now add that onto your S&H and now it is no longer $10 but $12.25 to just mail it. This gets far worse.
I had a customer in China that wanted to buy an old movie projector I had on eBay for $15. The cost to ship it was $85. The eBay and Pay Pal fees are not calculated on the $100 or just about $14 on the total. So the $15 I would collect would now come down to $1 on this sale.
You cannot make money on eBay because of all the fees. Now they want all Power Sellers to offer a 14 day money back guarantee or you will not get the small discount on your total monthly fees they used to offer those with spotless records. So they have now forced sellers to ship items and take them back for any reason what so ever up to two weeks later. What small seller could offer this?
They also want you to offer free shipping too. It is all about the buyers on eBay and the large sellers that get special rates for shipping merchandise. There fees have always been a problem, now it is even worse with the increase in shipping costs. There isn't even enough room now to add in your cost of shipping supplies which used to be called Handling fees.
I only use eBay when I only want to get rid of stuff I have in the house and don't want anymore. Then I can live with them taking their high fees off the top since the items don't have value to me anymore.
I feel sorry for those people that are out of work or need a second income and used to be able to make money on eBay. No more it is all over for the little guys.
To answer the question about eBay. Recently eBay has gotten much worse. Sellers cannot come out alive if they are trying to sell new merchandise they may have purchased at a great price, especially if it is a heavy item.
On Jan. 22nd the USPS increased rates on what they call packages. This means anything you put in an envelope including a penny that has a bump is classified as a parcel and for one once you can end up paying close to $1.70 to mail it. Now on International Mail it is much worse and the rates on small parcels and larger have gone up double, so it now costs about $2 per ounce to ship anything. Shipping a CD in a plastic case is 4 ounces and can cost $5 or more.
Now here is the big problem. eBay and Pay Pal charge their full fees on the total amount a customer pays. So if the item is only $5 but it costs $10 to mail it to an international customer you will pay about 14% total fees on the $15. So you will end up having to now add that onto your S&H and now it is no longer $10 but $12.25 to just mail it. This gets far worse.
I had a customer in China that wanted to buy an old movie projector I had on eBay for $15. The cost to ship it was $85. The eBay and Pay Pal fees are not calculated on the $100 or just about $14 on the total. So the $15 I would collect would now come down to $1 on this sale.
You cannot make money on eBay because of all the fees. Now they want all Power Sellers to offer a 14 day money back guarantee or you will not get the small discount on your total monthly fees they used to offer those with spotless records. So they have now forced sellers to ship items and take them back for any reason what so ever up to two weeks later. What small seller could offer this?
They also want you to offer free shipping too. It is all about the buyers on eBay and the large sellers that get special rates for shipping merchandise. There fees have always been a problem, now it is even worse with the increase in shipping costs. There isn't even enough room now to add in your cost of shipping supplies which used to be called Handling fees.
I only use eBay when I only want to get rid of stuff I have in the house and don't want anymore. Then I can live with them taking their high fees off the top since the items don't have value to me anymore.
I feel sorry for those people that are out of work or need a second income and used to be able to make money on eBay. No more it is all over for the little guys.
Hi Len, you had mentioned you used to be a ebay power seller, just wondering why you stopped? or what you do know?
Thanks
Great information I will be sure to check it out
Every day is a learning process
Brian, that might be the case when the sell a floor sample of when they have one or two of an item on a cart. You will usually see the original ticket and a magic marker crossed out that price and a hand written new price and a note, floor sample or last one. This is not the case with new merchandise where they have some inventory to move.
No store I know will deduct the taxes from a coupon special. The government wants their money on the original selling price and not the discounted price. The way the coupon works is once the total price is rung up with the tax, the amount of the coupon comes off that final price.
You will receive a rewards check at the end of the year. It is not an instant rebate. Now if you really want to score, sign up for the Costco AMEX card too. They will give you anywhere from 2-3% back on all purchases including ones made at Costco. If you have a business account there get the business AMEX card, you will also get 4% back on any gas purchases you make, except if you buy gas at their competition. That's a whopping 14¢ or more per gallon of gas. If your Costco sells gas too, well I need not do the math for you, you will save a fortune on your gas purchases since Costco gas is usually 10-25¢ less per gallon then other low priced gas stations.
I just got my executive membership last week. Your article will definitely help me save some more money. My only confusion is, I am supposed to get 2% rebate for my executive membership. I didn't see this rebate on my receipt so I am still clueless how it is calculated.
Great information! Thank you for sharing your experience with all of us! We've been shopping at Costco every 3-4 months for the last year, and I've just started keeping price lists for everything we purchase. Added with the information you've shared I look forward to starting a new year of shopping at Costco!
I live in Hawaii and bought some items from their Costco's coupon book. Costco charged the tax on the regular price of the item and not the coupon price. Anyone know aobut this
wow, great info! Love Costco, and will put all this info to good use
if an item is discounted you can ask if they would take less and depending on the item and vendor they do
Great info! The title is an attention getter! Keep up the useful hubbing! Thank you
EXCELLENT info!! ******* Thanks!!
Thanks for the info....not everyone does that...I was just wondering why....
Very useful information, well presented too. When a price is marked .00 it means that is was marked down beyond vendor's pricing - but the price was set by the warehouse manager in that location. For example, one Costco can have an item for $19.97 (already marked down by the vendor) - In one location this can still be great and the item selling well. Maybe on the other one the warehouse manager decides that they will take the loss in-warehouse to get rid of the item sooner, the he/she will decide to mark it down at $10.00 - therefore, if you see a price like that on one warehouse, don't expect it to be the same on another warehouse. In short, .00 can give you even a better deal.
I was recently told of the "secret codes" at Costco. In researching it I found your article. Thanks for sharing. I will watch for these valuable codes in the future.
Awesome info. I'll go check it out soon :D
That Costco card is a bachelor's best friend sometimes
These are great and original tips for finding discounts at Costco. I also liked the way you laid out your hub with the sale pictures as if I'm really shopping at Costco. Thanks for the insider tips.
Great info! Thank you for sharing. I'll let my family know for future shopping.
Awesome. Now I know more than my fellow co-worker / Costco shoppers. Very informative. Thank you
As a new member, and avid shopper, this info was indeed a great surprise. Thanks.
It will be interesting to check this out. Thanks.
I sure appreciate this valuable information, especially now that things are tight, strapped for cash and many are out of work, they could use some saving on merchandise and food items that constantly keep going up.
THANK UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU AGAIN
I'm a huge costco fan and didn't know this. On my next trip, I'll pay close attention.
How nice that you thought to spread the word. Wish the world was filled with more nice people like yourself!
Wow, are you kidding me! I didn't even think about the .99 vs. .97 prices and the * on the signs. I never would have known if I didn't read your article. That is some great insight! Thanks for sharing.
Speaking of Kirkland.... For all you Vodka drinkers out there.... Grey Goose is excellent, but expensive. The Kirkland brand IS Grey Goose, for about $20 less.
Great article to help me be a better Costco shopper!
I'm definitely going to look at prices next time I'm at Costco.
Does any body know which costco branch sells Kirkland hand and body moisturizing lotion? thanks
Costco must be doing something right. Their earnings are up and their stock (wish I had kept my shares) has done extremely well. From a share price of $54 in July 2010 to a current share price of $75.04 on Feb 11, 2011 you can see that they are doing very well indeed.
They have proven they are the warehouse leaders and if you read the news reports you will see that BJ's is in trouble.
"Following the recommendation given by the committee of autonomous directors, BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. (NYSE: BJ - News) recently announced that it is looking for strategic choices, which might include a possible sale of the company."
Lesson's to be learned...Be good to your customers and they will be good to you.
Every Costco branch sells those Kirkland lotions; but the product is not on the shelves continuously. The store rotates them; so you need to go on a periodic basis. I don't know the extent of that cycle.
At Christmas they had this Pumpkin Spread for $9 for 2 bottles, but February they were clearing it out for less than $4. I also picked up a Samsung Camera that was * for $89 which was $20 less than I could find anywhere online.
Sometimes it's sad to see the * on items you have been buying for a very long time. Frustrating because I know I'll have to find another source soon.
This is a good article, I don't resell on eBay but I do like a bargain when I see one. I live close enough to Costco to watch the * items. And on occasion even those prices drop if the item simply is not moving.
Thanks, Rat.
I work in Costco returns and let me tell you that your example is mild in what we actually take back on a DAILY basis. While we always want to take care of our members please know that if you buy the wrong $70 cut of meat...when you bring it back Costco will not resell it and it goes into the trash. Once it leaves the warehouse we will not put it back out or are we able to even donate it to the needy because we do not know where it has been. There are so many members who take such advantage of the great return policy Costco offers. Please rethink this and handle with CARE.
Thankyou
Are you KIDDING me? That $1.49 Dog And Soda Lunch is known EVERYWHERE! It's our local Retirees Lunch Banquet! And don't forget the SauerKraut! (Although I can't tell the difference between the Hot Dog and the Polish Sausage!)
Being in sales, there are others stores that will do the same type of pricing as Costco. Different prices and marks mean different things.
Thanks for sharing the info. I wish I knew earlier but it never too late since I shop there regularly.
bing.
Great info. I wish you could do the same with major retail/department stores like Macy's. I went to Macy's several times with many of their discount coupons but each time was told by the cashier that all the coupons were not applicable to the items I have selected, and this after queueing in line at the cashier's for a long time.
Their employees get lots of the bargins first and they treat the sample server's very bad as they do not work for Costco.
Great information. I'm sending it to my email pals.
I've always liked Costco and their policies are right on!! Mahalo from Hawaii...it costs money to live in Paradise.
What an awesome hub and how nice of you for sharing the information. Thank you!
Great information, few people tell their secrets, Thank you for sharing, everyone loves to save and get good Deal! Thanks!
Does any body know which costco branch sells Kirkland hand and body moisturizing lotion? thanks.
Very informative and highly useful,
You have all my stars and wud probably gather all the stars from costco ending on 7 and give those to you
Hi great and very helpful information
You get all the stars i have i will buy some at costco and give u even more stars
Great tips! Everyone needs help trying to save money no matter where theys shop!
What does .00 represent found it today.
Thanks for the tips! I've bought many things at Costco, and was never able to find them again. Now I'll check the signs for an asterisk or closeout price.
is this the same in uk? i work for costco uk
Great information! I always knew about the .97 but not the other pricing structures..
Excellent Hub! And here I was going to Costco today anyway! Thanks.
Len,
Great article thank for the tips!
thanks for the good information!!!!
I just scored a great close out for the Holidays at my local Costco. They have a 25' Multi-Outlet Extension Cord that has 3 outlets spaced every 8 feet. It sells for around $25 on Amazon, not sure the original at Costco, but think it would have been $14.99 or higher there.
I just purchased 10 of them at $5.97 each. I was frankly surprised they were closing these out because you can use them outdoors to run your lights for the holidays. This cord is very heavy duty and can be use in or outdoors. I put one in my garage along the back of my workshop table so I can plug in there and will use others in my basement too.
Check it out, the item number is 207136
awesome hub! thanks I am going to try to find these deals this weekend.
Nice hub. Great information I will bookmark it.
I love this thank for giving me an insight about costco
Great hub - you get my stars~! I'm gonna check it out next week when I make my run!
very good information!
Thanks for the info. We do not have a Costco in Springfield, MO. We do shop at Sam's Club. I wonder if this info would apply at Sam's. I'll check. Thanks again.
Great Hub!!! Super info!
Love this! I am a Costco shopper on a limited basis- I always buy more than I need so i try to wait until it is stock up time and stick to "the list"...now I am going to be more tempted. Great info!
The demo items (last in stock) is marked with a .88¢ price ending
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